Currently navigation devices or navigation applications on a general purpose device have the ability to display real-time traffic information superimposed on a map. In addition, individual incidents such as accident or road construction can be displayed as icons on a map. This can facilitate avoiding traffic by moving to a route that has less traffic or avoiding particular incidents. There is a need to perform a similar function but to chart the overall risk of driving. However driving risk can come in a variety of forms and how to display driving risk is problematic. The driver's ability to respond to risky conditions also vary and contribute to the risk.
Real time information (while driving) is very relevant to risk. For example, if the road is icy, the likelihood of being in an accident is potentially higher.
With a dynamic risk indexing system that is continually updated and also has real-time inputs, it is further possible to compel drivers to adjust driving habits based on the real-time information and the driver's historical driving habits to reduce the risk. For example, if a particular route is known to be icy, and the course the driver is taking is being monitored, and the monitoring system further suggests an alternate non-icy route, then the driver can avoid risky conditions. Alternatively if the driver has exhibited lack of vehicle control in driving at the current speed in similar conditions, then the monitoring system can suggest that the driver slow down to a safe speed.
Real-time information can come from a variety of sources such as wireless acquired weather information and traffic reports. This information can further be statistically aggregated to produce historical weather/traffic risk information likelihood indices that are spatially and temporally indexed. Metadata associated with the historical information can then be used to cull older information and continually update the indices with the latest information. Also continuous, real time, accumulation of accident reports with root causes can be helpful to access and distribute that risk across the total driving space of some geographic region. In addition, the driving behavior of an individual driver when driving under specific conditions can be monitored and factored into the risk.